Raffaele Paolucci’s bust can be found in the north of Pescara (Via Lungomare Nord, 98), on the seafront.
The bronze bust of Raffaele Paolucci
The monument is a bronze bust representing his face with a flying bird on the top.
This bust stays on a stone pillar that bears the inscription that motivates his gold medal for the military value:
“MOTIVAZIONE DELLA / MEDAGLIA D’ORO / AL VALOR MILITARE. / PORTO’ EFFICACE CONTRIBUTO / NELL’IDEARE / UN MIRABILE ORDIGNO / DI GUERRA MARITTIMA / E VOLLE A SE’ / RISERBATO L’ALTISSIMO / ONORE DI IMPIEGARLO. / PENETRATO DI NOTTE CON / UN SOLO COMPAGNO NEL / MUNITO PORTO DI POLA / ATTESE IL MOMENTO / PROPIZIO E VERSO L’ALBA / AFFONDO’ LA NAVE / AMMIRAGLIA DELLA / FLOTTA AUSTRO UNGARICA. / POLA / NOTTE 31 OTTOBRE / 1 NOVEMBRE 1918″1
This inscription means: “Justification for / the gold medal / for military value. / He took a strong contribution / in creating / an amazing device / of maritime war / and he wanted that / the highest honour of using it / was reserved to himself. / Penetrating by night with / only one fellow in / the fortified Pola’s port / he waited for the favorable moment / and at sunrise / he sank the flagship / of the Austro-Hungaric fleet. / Pola / Night of the 31th of October / the first of November of 1918.”
On the back there is the dedication by the city of Pescara:
“PESCARA / ALL’EROE / RAFFAELE PAOLUCCI / DI VALMAGGIORE / ANNO 1973”
It was sculpted by the artist Guido Costanzo in 1973.
- Photos and main text by Salvatore De Pasquale and Jacopo Capparelli (January 2018)
- Locate the item on this Google Map
Bibliography
– Fernando Galluppi, Medici illustri d’Abruzzo. Dall’unità d’Italia all’età attuale, Edizioni Noubs, San Giovanni Teatino 2011, pp. 185-205